Using PHP to send e-mail, change the FROM so it's not my server name

Question

So, I've set up a contact form for my website, and it's sending me e-mails when people sign-up. Here's the code:

<?php
include("include/settings.php");
if(isset($_POST['name']) && isset($_POST['contactEmail']) && isset($_POST['message'])){
    $name = $_POST['name'];
    $from = $_POST['contactEmail'];
    $message = $_POST['message'];

    $subject = "Message from " . $name;

    if (mail ($to, $subject, $message, $from)) { 
        $response = array('sent' => 1);
        echo json_encode($response);
    } else { 
        $response = array('sent' => 0);
        echo json_encode($response);
    } 
}
?>

Right now when I get an e-mail, it's from my godaddy servername. I don't mind if it continues to send from this email, but I need to have the from name changed to something different. Is this possible?

Your present headers reads as `you@example.com, Message from John, the messsage, email@example.com` when it should read as `you@example.com, Message from John, the messsage, From: email@example.com` - So the postmaster says, *"there's no From: here, so I'll just assume you meant "my server"* - Use proper headers http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php — Funk Forty Niner, Dec 05 '14 at 15:06

Funk Forty Niner · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-05T15:39:50.793

Your present headers are being interpreted as
you@example.com, Message from John, the messsage, email@example.com
when it should be interpreted as
you@example.com, Message from John, the messsage, From: email@example.com

So the postmaster says: "There's no From: here, so I'll just assume you meant "my server".

That is the reason why the "from" appears to be coming from the GoDaddy server.

Use proper headers: http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php

$headers = "From: ". $name . " <" . $from . ">\r\n";

then rewrite your present mail() to read as:

mail ($to, $subject, $message, $headers)

If you want it to be something different, then use whatever different Email address.

Nota: Mail expects a "From" to be an email address and not a person's name.

So you could do:

$from_other = "another_email@example.com";

then do:

$headers = "From: ". $name . " <" . $from_other . ">\r\n";

then rewrite your present mail() to:

mail ($to, $subject, $message, $headers)

If that's what the ultimate goal is.

There are additional header options that are also available for you to use:

$from = $from . ' <' . $from . '>';
$headers = "MIME-Version: 1.0" . "\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type:text/html;charset=utf-8" . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'From: ' . $from . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'Reply-To: ' . $from . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'Return-Path: ' . $from . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'X-Mailer: PHP/' . phpversion() . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'X-Originating-IP: ' . $_SERVER['SERVER_ADDR'] . "\r\n";

Using Reply-To: if you wish to use a different "reply to". Those variables can be changed to whatever you wish them to be.

Thanks, this was a great explanation, I really appreciate it! — Chris S, Dec 05 '14 at 15:59
@ChrisS You're welcome Chris, glad to have been of help. If you feel that it has indeed answered the question, please mark it as solved, *cheers* — Funk Forty Niner, Dec 05 '14 at 16:02

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 05 '14 at 15:05

edit your $from header to:

$from = 'From: '.$_POST['contactEmail'];

and then send it as you are already sending:

mail ($to, $subject, $message, $from)

Convention is to use $headers variable. You can define various header parameters as:

$headers = 'From: webmaster@example.com' . "\r\n" .
    'Reply-To: webmaster@example.com' . "\r\n" .
    'X-Mailer: PHP/' . phpversion();

and send them as:

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);

Refer to this example for more: http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php#example-3482

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 05 '14 at 15:06

0

Use mail() and send proper headers:

$headers = 'From: ' . $_POST['name'] . ' <' . $_POST['contactEmail'] . '>';
mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers)

answered Dec 05 '14 at 15:06

zsilbi

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Using PHP to send e-mail, change the FROM so it's not my server name

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